1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a construction machine such as a hydraulic excavator.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a compact excavator as small construction machine, conventionally, an engine is frequently arranged under an operator's seat in order to make an upper rotating body as compact as possible. However, this leads to the problem that maintenance work of the engine and equipment and devices disposed around it cannot be efficiently performed.
For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 9-195315, a seat stand for supporting the operator's seat is constituted to be a frame, and a cover is mounted on the frame through bolts as fastening means. When this cover is removed to perform the maintenance of the equipment and devices arranged inside the seat stand, the frame becomes an obstacle which prevents a maintenance worker's hand from reaching to the devices, and the maintenance work of the equipment and devices arranged inside the frame cannot be efficiently performed.
In a construction machine disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2001-32327, the top plate of a guard cover having the operator's seat fixed thereto is opened upward, so that maintenance of the engine disposed under the top plate and the equipment and devices disposed around it can be performed. However, such a maintenance work is hard to be done because an operator has to reach out the operator's hands from the upper part of the engine, and the equipment and devices disposed in front of or under the engine are difficult to be reached in their maintenance. Further, since a heater for blowing hot air to the operation space or a duct for sending hot air are disposed around the engine, these hinder the maintenance work to deteriorate the workability of the maintenance work.